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Cheap Travel to Spain By Air: How to Get The Cheapest Deals

24 December 2024

Written by

Shahab Siddiqui

The CEO & Founder of FlightsFinder.com

Cheap Travel to Spain By Air: How to Get The Cheapest Deals

Home to historical cities, a vibrant culture, and sun-drenched beaches, Spain is a much-loved European destination year-round that offers affordable getaways. Whether you explore the streets of its capital of Madrid or sip Sangria on the golden shoreline of the Costa del Sol, there are plenty of enjoyable experiences to have in Spain without breaking the bank. The same applies to flying to Spain from the UK, as you can find budget-friendly flights throughout the year if you know where to look.

So, if it’s a cheap holiday to Spain you’re after, our team at FlightsFinder can help. In this article, we outline the essential information you need to know for cheap travel to Spain. From the cheapest flight deals to Spain from UK airports, which sites offer the best bargains, and our top tips to save on airfare, here’s how you can travel to Spain for cheap and have a memorable experience. 

Cheap Flights to Spain: What to Know and How to Save

Flying to Spain is the most convenient way to reach the country from the UK, as well as from other worldwide destinations. So, you’ll be pleased to hear that you can travel to Spain for cheap on many airlines, making your getaway more affordable. Here’s everything you need to know: 

Can I Fly Directly to Spain from the UK?

Yes, and on a budget too. There are several cheap flights to Spain from the UK that fly direct. Some of the most popular cities you can fly directly to from UK airports include:

  • Barcelona (BCN)
  • Malaga (AGP)
  • Gran Canaria (LPA)
  • Seville (SVQ)
  • Madrid (MAD)
  • Santander (SDR)
  • Ibiza (IBZ)

A selection of UK airports that fly to these Spanish destinations directly include: 

  • London Airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton)
  • Manchester (MAN)
  • Edinburgh (EDI)
  • Birmingham (BHX)
  • Glasgow (GLA)
  • Belfast International (BFS)
  • Newcastle (NCL)
  • Liverpool (LPL)

The average direct flight time from UK to Spanish airports is 2 hours and 29 minutes. Some examples of direct flight times from major UK airports to popular Spanish cities include: 

London to Barcelona: 2 hours and 10 minutes

Manchester to Barcelona: 2 hours 20 minutes

Edinburgh to Barcelona: 2 hours 45 minutes 

London to Madrid: 2 hours 25 minutes

Manchester to Madrid: 2 hours 35 minutes

Edinburgh to Madrid: 2 hours 25 minutes

London to Palma: 2 hours 25 minutes

Manchester to Palma: 2 hours 45 minutes

Edinburgh to Palma: 3 hours

What Month is the Best to Find Cheap Flight Deals to Spain from the UK? 

January is often one of the best times to find cheap flight deals to Spain from the UK. This is because it’s in the midst of the winter season when fewer travellers are visiting Spain because of its cooler climate.  As long as you avoid peak holiday dates, like New Year’s Day, you can often find flights to Spain for cheap. 

Alternatively, April and May are two of the best months to get cheap flights to Spain from the UK.  For example, in April, you can fly from London to Ibiza for as little as £37, or from London to Palma in May from £27.

Here at FlightsFinder, you can use our flexible flight dates option to discover cheap flights to Spain throughout the year.

Which UK Airports Have the Cheapest Flights to Spain?

The cheapest flights to Spain from the UK depart from London Airports, including Heathrow (LHR), Gatwick (LGW), Stansted (STN), and Luton (LTN). Smaller London airports that serve budget airlines usually offer the most affordable flights.

You can find cheap flights to Spain from other UK airports too, including Manchester, Birmingham, and Liverpool. Birmingham is one of the bases for low-cost airline EasyJet, while Liverpool is the base for Ryanair.

Which Airlines Offer the Cheapest Flights to Spain from the UK?

To get cheap flights to Spain from the UK, opt for low-cost airlines like Ryanair, EasyJet, WizzAir, Jet2, Vueling, and TUI.

You can find affordable flights to Spain with these airlines throughout the year. However, if you want to secure cheap flight deals to Spain, you can keep an eye out for their annual sales, including Travel Tuesday, and between November and February ahead of the school Easter and summer holidays. 

What are the Top Cheap Spain Destinations to Fly to from the UK?

Some of the top cities where you can get cheap flights to Spain from the UK include: 

  • Ibiza
  • Palma
  • Valencia
  • Santiago de Compostela
  • Santander
  • Madrid
  • Barcelona 

You can find flights for as little as £50 return to these cities. And if you keep an eye out for the best flight deals to Spain, you could even score a better deal.

What Are Reasonable Prices for a Flight to Spain from the UK?

Before you start researching cheap travel to Spain, you’ll want to know roughly what flight prices are for routes from the UK to the country. We’ve listed the ballpark figures for flights that are considered affordable, or more expensive, from major UK airports to popular Spanish cities:

London Airports: 

Barcelona: Below £80 = Low price. Above £170 = high price

Malaga: Below £45 = Low price. Above £165 = high price 

Madrid: Below £60 = Low price. Above £165 = high price

Manchester:

Barcelona: Below £100 = Low price. Above £240 = high price

Malaga: Below £85 = Low price. Above £170 = high price

Madrid: Below £75 = Low price. Above £230 = high price

Birmingham:

Barcelona: Below £75 = Low price. Above £165 = high price

Malaga: Below £45 = Low price. Above £260 = high price

Madrid: Below £125 = Low price. Above £265 = high price

Edinburgh:

Barcelona: Below £110 = Low price. Above £180 = high price

Malaga: Below £80 = Low price. Above £220 = high price

Madrid: Below £120 = Low price. Above £205 = high price

What is the Cheapest Search Engine to Get Cheap Flight Deals to Spain from the UK?

You can find the best deals for cheap travel to Spain easily by using a dedicated flight comparison site. We’d recommend using our FlightsFinder search engine to find the best possible flight deals to Spain.

For example, we did a search from London Airports to Barcelona for return flights in January and got these results:

KAYAK: from £45

Kiwi: from £48

Momondo: from £48

Skiplagged: from £44 

Jetradar: from £47

Skyscanner: from £24

In this case, Skyscanner had the best price. But, to ensure you’re getting the best flight deals to Spain, compare multiple search engines and be flexible with your flight dates. 

Is Buying Two One-way Tickets or a Return Flight to Spain from the UK Cheaper?

We recommend searching both options and comparing prices using a trusted flight comparison site, like FlightsFinder, to determine how you can secure the best flight deals to Spain. 

As an example, we searched for flights from London Airports to Barcelona in January and found the following results:

Return Flights:

From £42 

Two One-way Flights:

London to Barcelona: from £16

Barcelona to London: from £13

In this case, the two one-way flights were cheaper than the return fare, so it’s always worth considering if splitting your journey can help you get the cheapest flights to Spain.

How Do I Find the Cheapest One-way Flight Deals to Spain from the UK?

It would be best to compare multiple search engines to find the cheapest one-way flight deals to Spain from the UK, as prices vary from site to site. 

For example, we did a one-way search from London Airports to Seville over the Christmas period and found the following costs on various search engines:

KAYAK: from £144

Skyscanner: from £106

Kiwi: from £152

Jetradar: from £152 

Momondo: from £144

Skiplagged: from £138

Jetcost: from £144

Google Flights: from £152

Skyscanner found the cheapest flights to Spain for this search, which cost £106. However, compare search engines using our trusted flight comparison site to determine the best prices for cheap travel to Spain.

How Do I Get the Cheapest Multi-city Flights to Spain from the UK?

To get the cheapest flight deals to Spain if you want to visit multiple cities, compare several flight search engines to find the most affordable multi-city flights.

For example, we searched for flights from London Airports (LON) to Barcelona (BCN), Barcelona to Gran Canaria (LPA), Gran Canaria to Malaga (AGP), and Malaga back to London in January and got the following results:

KAYAK: from £119

Kiwi: from £116

Momondo: £116

Cheapflights: from £140

Jetradar: from £136

Skyscanner: from £117

As you can see, both Kiwi and Momondo offered the cheapest flight deals to Spain for a multi-city break, on this occasion. But, remember to compare search engines to find the best deal, which is made simple with flight comparison sites like FlightsFinder.

Top Tips to Get The Cheapest Flights to Spain from the UK

There are several ways that you can find the best flight deals to Spain to have your dream getaway affordably. Here, we share our top tips for securing cheap travel to Spain from UK airports:

Be Flexible With Your Travel Dates

If you want to find the cheapest flights to Spain, you need to be open-minded with when you can travel. Flights deals to Spain vary year-round, and it may be that the time you had in mind to fly does not offer the most cost-effective options. 

So, whenever you’re searching for flights on flight comparison sites, like FlightsFinder, be sure to select to search for flexible dates. You can choose to search for flexible dates during a specific month, or for the whole year. This way, you can be sure the results you get are showing you the best cheap flights to Spain from the UK.

Check Nearby Arrival and Departure Airports

If you want to travel to Spain for cheap, you might need to look beyond your local airport in the UK. Look at what the flight prices for other airports are to see if they offer better flight deals to Spain, even considering your transport costs to get there. For example, London Airports offer the most affordable flights from the UK to Spanish destinations, so if you can reach them easily, you can get some flights to Spain for cheap.

Travel During Off-Peak Seasons

Travelling outside of peak seasons is a sure fire way to secure the best flight deals to Spain. The school holiday seasons, including summer, Easter, and October half-term see flight prices rise, as well as at Christmas and New Year. 

Broaden your horizons instead to months like February and September, which are the shoulder months for travel in Europe, to find cheap flights to Spain from the UK.

Check Multiple Search Engines Before Booking Your Flights

As we’ve mentioned already, check several search engines so you can find the cheapest flights to Spain from the UK. Using a site like FlightsFinder is easy and convenient to compare several flight search engines at once so you never miss the best flight deals to Spain during the year.

Keep Luggage to a Minimum

If you want to minimise your flight costs to Spain, be sure to keep your luggage to a minimum. Travelling light really pays when you’re trying to travel to Spain for cheap, as the more luggage you take, the more baggage fees you’ll have on top of the cost of your flight ticket. 

Utilise Frequent Flier Miles

If you have accumulated frequent flier miles with airlines, take advantage of these to travel to Spain as cheaply as possible. Certain airlines that fly to Spain from the UK, like British Airways, offer frequent flyer reward programmes, which can bring your trip to Spain cost down significantly, depending on what you have banked.

Can an Expert Help me Find the Cheapest Flights to Spain from the UK?

Absolutely! Here at FlightsFinder, you can ask our team of experts to find the cheapest flights to Spain from the UK for a small fee, saving you the time and stress of searching for the best possible flight options available. 

Doing this is guaranteed to save you money, or you can get your money back! Fill out our custom travel request form online to work with one of our experts. 

Summary

Finding cheap flights to Spain from the UK has never been more convenient thanks to dedicated flight search engines. If you know the tips and tricks for cheap travel to Spain, whether it’s being flexible with your holiday dates or keeping your luggage to a minimum, you’re bound to find the best flight deals on the market so you can save your budget to make memories while you travel. 

We hope this article has shed light on how you can find the best flight deals to Spain, and has helped you on your way to start your journey here for less!

Want to easily and conveniently secure the best flight deals to Spain? Use our FlightsFinder search engine to get the best flight prices for you. 

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